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Post by craigmarshall on Nov 27, 2007 17:10:03 GMT
Hi, I just got the Rutlands weekly email through, and spotted this record look-a-like 9" vice on special offer, normally £40, now £17. www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/DK2020Does anyone have one of these? Does it look okay? 14kg sounds nice and meaty. If it's any good, I might buy a couple and store them until I make myself a "real" workbench. I know the standard advice is to get some proper record vices from ebay, but the postage is always £10+ per vice! I imagine (hope) these would come in under the normal rutlands postage price... Cheers, Craig PS: There are a couple of good reviews on the site, but the cynic in me says they probably get a cheque from Mr Rutland when they write nice things. (I've probably upset someone now!) |
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Post by Alf on Nov 27, 2007 17:20:56 GMT
PS: There are a couple of good reviews on the site, but the cynic in me says they probably get a cheque from Mr Rutland when they write nice things. (I've probably upset someone now!) Craig, I suspect it might be simpler than that - they just don't publish any negative ones.  No idea on the vice, I'm afraid. Trouble with vices is they all tend to look good - the differences tend to be rather less obvious until you try them. Cheers, Alf |
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Post by craigmarshall on Nov 27, 2007 17:38:32 GMT
Craig, I suspect it might be simpler than that - they just don't publish any negative ones. Hmmm.... Perhaps we could do a little experiment here. Has anyone bought anything from Rutlands they weren't happy with, and wouldn't mind commenting on? Nah - there's something about this plan I don't like.. No idea on the vice, I'm afraid. Trouble with vices is they all tend to look good - the differences tend to be rather less obvious until you try them. Yes - I expect that is the case. Hopefully someone will be along shortly that actually owns or has (ab)used one of these things. Thanks Alf. Very glad to see the blog moving again. Craig |
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Post by paulchapman on Nov 27, 2007 18:59:16 GMT
Hi Craig, No idea what the vice you quote is like, but what I would say is buy a good one. A vice is something you use all the time and you want to be able to fit it and forget it. If it doesn't work well, it will be a constant irritation. Cheers Paul |
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Post by craigmarshall on Nov 27, 2007 19:11:17 GMT
No idea what the vice you quote is like, but what I would say is buy a good one. A vice is something you use all the time and you want to be able to fit it and forget it. If it doesn't work well, it will be a constant irritation. Hello paul, Yes - that's exactly what I thought, although we make do with NO vice at the moment, just clamping etc. (And also no hand tools, but you've heard this story before). I don't want to regret anything, so maybe I'll wait and get one of the real £100-ish ones. Or pay the postage for a reasonable looking second-hander. Hmmm, I'll see what information this thread brings over the next couple of days, and decide then. Thanks, Craig |
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Post by engineerone on Nov 27, 2007 21:25:12 GMT
couple of thoughts, go to a couple of the shops that advertise second hand stuff. also check out some of the shops that sell end of lines. other wise like many of us, make use of bench dogs, or similar. paul |
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Post by nickw on Nov 27, 2007 21:26:25 GMT
Axminster have a special offer on this vice this week. Not as cheap as Rutlands' but probably a better buy, 'specially as it is a QR one, and, further more, automatic e'gad. |
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Post by craigmarshall on Nov 27, 2007 22:20:32 GMT
Axminster have a special offer on this vice this week. Not as cheap as Rutlands' but probably a better buy, 'specially as it is a QR one, and, further more, automatic e'gad. The Axminster one is smaller though at 7" wide, and the Rutlands one is a quick release one too, just not "automatic". Never used one of those, anyone know if they are they any good? Craig |
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patl
New Member
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Post by patl on Nov 28, 2007 9:20:47 GMT
Can't speak for rutlands not publishing hegative reviews, but that's certainly what axminster do. They published a positive one from me, but the negative one never saw the light of day. If you're going to be storing the vice until you've built the bench, you might as well keep an eye on ebay for one closer to home that you can go and collect, that way you don't have to waste space on storage either  ) |
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Post by jake on Nov 28, 2007 10:02:49 GMT
I know you said you knew it was the usual advice, but that is because it is the best advice. Buy a secondhand Record (or Woden, etc). It's a one-off purchase, should last a lifetime and a good one will cost you maybe £35 including the postage, give or take ten pounds in proportion with your (im)patience, and you might even snag a 53 instead of a 52. It's worth the extra £20. You can see the hideous casting quality from one glance at the face of the Rutland's vice - while that's just cosmetic, for £20 I wouldn't take the risk that it extends into other areas (which it almost certainly will, being cheap chinese junk).
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Post by Lord Nibbo on Nov 28, 2007 10:12:27 GMT
This one cost £10  ;D It's got a whopping mouth too ;D sorry jaw. I nicknamed it Senior ;D  |
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chill
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Post by chill on Nov 28, 2007 12:00:54 GMT
Hi Ive just bought 2 Parkinson perfect vices £55 the pair. Mechanisms and springs in good order .Hefty beasts worth waiting for IMHO much better than most modern stuff
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Post by jake on Nov 28, 2007 12:21:12 GMT
Hi Ive just bought 2 Parkinson perfect vices £55 the pair. Perfect for conversion |
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Post by craigmarshall on Nov 28, 2007 20:18:52 GMT
Hi Paul, go to a couple of the shops that advertise second hand stuff. also check out some of the shops that sell end of lines. other wise like many of us, make use of bench dogs, or similar. I'd love to know of any shops in Oxfordshire or nearby that sell secondhand stuff that might include things like vises. I go into most charity shops that I see, but they're only ever full of clothes and books (which is not a bad thing!), but I'd love to find a secondhand vise for sale somewhere. I have heard of cash converters and there's one about 20 miles from my house, perhaps I should go and check it out. I'm sure I've been in there once or twice, but I don't remember seeing anything worth having. My boss recently made something for his bench that kind of emulates bench dogs. It's an oak inlay with a routed T-slot. On the left, he has a square of greenheart with a rubber face on one side that you can undo, slide along, then do up again, and that works great even on it's own, like an infinitely adjustable bench dog. The right hand part is a sliding head (low profile, maybe 10mm tall) on a carriage, and there's a lever to lock the carriage in the bench t-track, then a cam to push the sliding head towards the other fixed piece, two overlapping levers. This can hold panels and rails flat on the bench for planing (I'm slowly getting him more into handtools and methods), and you can stick the corner of a rail in the t-slot and clamp it at 45 degrees for easy chamfering. I have a feeling it does most things bench dogs do, but I still want to be able to clamp a board vertically so I can e.g. cut the tails and pins for carcase and drawer joints! I don't think bench dogs help with this. I'm not comfy doing accurate saw cuts vertically with the board held horizontally. This is fine on a saw horse cutting something to length, or sawing a panel of plywood, but not dovetails. Cheers, Craig |
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Post by craigmarshall on Nov 28, 2007 20:24:39 GMT
Okay thanks everyone - I've decided. Forget about cheap new ones, they may just be fine, but I don't want to risk it. I want a bench for life! I'll keep my eyes open on Ebay for a local one.
It's not like I've even got my own workshop, let alone bench to fit them to yet. Maybe one day soon...
I can guarantee one thing though. If I can afford it at the time, I'll set up a dual-vice like Jake's. That is an awesome work-holding machine. I would even be able to crush beer cans if I had one of those!
Craig
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Post by jake on Nov 28, 2007 20:31:41 GMT
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Post by craigmarshall on Nov 28, 2007 21:26:42 GMT
No - it's not that far, 60.6 miles well within range, but I only just got this message ten minutes ago! 30 minutes after the ebay sale had closed.
I've emailed the seller and might arrange to buy it anyway, even though the bidding has ended, because there were no bids. I first asked the seller the make and model of the vice, because the listing doesn't specify...
Will let you know how I got on later.
If you see a workshop/garage/shed in Summertown, Oxford (OX2) for sale or rent on ebay, please let me know!!!
Thanks,
Craig
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Post by engineerone on Nov 28, 2007 21:44:59 GMT
this has piqued my interest in alternative methods of holding work vertically. soemwhere recently i saw that a guy had put a track along the edge of his bench, then he had a couple of boards with track nuts and bolts in them so he could tighten the board against wood and the bench. in this case it was an addition to a bench vise, but you could have two boards, then use wedges to hold the board vertically. interesting concept. paul |
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Post by dom on Nov 28, 2007 22:18:34 GMT
Next time you're in town, pop into the Ashmolean and you can see a couple of display cases I made, believe they're housing coins and some of the panelling in Christchurch above the choir stalls.
Brag, brag. ;D
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Post by craigmarshall on Nov 28, 2007 22:45:27 GMT
Next time you're in town, pop into the Ashmolean and you can see a couple of display cases I made, believe they're housing coins and some of the panelling in Christchurch above the choir stalls. Brag, brag. ;D My wife and I went in there this summer actually, we went in to go and find the stradivarius guitar (one of only two that exist), I'm quite into guitar making and repairing too, I actually (does this mean I'm sad?) look at the cabinets and fixtures as much as whatever is in them in places like that. It's one of the few types of places where you can guarantee, for whatever reason, that it's not made of chipboard.. I also remember having a good look at the 12' external doors (or whatever size they are) leading to the gift shop on the left at the top of the stairs as you go in. I looked closely at them (as I do all doors etc. when I think about it) because I had been told in good faith by the chap I work with that all external mortise and tenon joinery opens up or shifts somehow eventually. They looked 20 years old plus, but they were as tight as you could ever wish for. So I think there's some secret knowledge somewhere, that I'd like to know about. So Dom, do you live in or around Oxford?. Craig |
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Post by Alf on Nov 29, 2007 9:15:42 GMT
Craig, do any of the local papers in your area have an active classifieds section? That can be a very good source, although you might have to buy a whole bench to get the vice.
Cheers, Alf
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jimw
New Member
Posts: 43
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Post by jimw on Nov 29, 2007 13:17:05 GMT
Go to the local tip sorry municipal re-cycling centre.
Speak nicely to the roughest looking member of the gang there,
tell them you are after any woodworking tools & vices
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Post by dom on Nov 29, 2007 19:06:44 GMT
No Craig I don't live there but I did a two year apprenticeship(aged 42) with a firm of restorers there.
By the way the cabinet displaying the Stradivarius violin was built by on of the chaps with whom I worked.
Lovely place Oxford, shame about the 60's multi storey car parks.
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Post by craigmarshall on Dec 8, 2007 18:22:38 GMT
Hi All, Well - thanks to Dom's overwhelming generosity, I am now the proud owner of a Paramo No. 62 vice. Here you can see it is installed on my boss's spare bench. picasaweb.google.com/craig9/NewBenchVice/photo#5141668705249504178It works beautifully. When I build my own traditional hard wood cabinet makers bench, it'll go on as a permanent fixture. As soon as I've do some real work on it I'll post an action shot! Thanks Dom! ;D |
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Post by jake on Dec 8, 2007 22:10:23 GMT
Excellent news, Craig, and hats off to Dom, you really are a gent.
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